Wire-fence compensator.



n. L. MULLINIX. Wm: mm GOMP'ENSA'I'OB. APPLIUATIOI FILED JULY 17,1908.

906,814; Patnted Dec. 15, 1908 Dav id L. Hullini 1.

I attouww DAVID L. MULLINIX, OF GREENCASTLE, INDIANA.

WIRE -FENGE COMPENSATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application filed July 17, 1908. Serial No. 444,053.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID L. MULLINIX, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greencastle, in the county of Putnam and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-FenceCompensators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire fences, and has special reference to anattachment therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which can be appliedto the wires of a fence of this nature for the purpose of allowing thestretching of the same Without breaking the wires.

Another object of this invention is the provision of such a device thatwill be simple in construction, durable and easy of application.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thisnature which can be manufactured from sheet metal thereby producing adevice which will be easy to manufacture and that can be put out to thepublic at a nominal cost.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the followingdescription, and it will be understood that changes in the specificstructure shown and described may be made within the scope of theclaims, and that any suitable materials may be used without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device, Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, 1O designates a strip ofsheet material which is bent U shaped and which is apertured at itsupper intermediate portion for the reception of a swivel eye 11 which isadapted to be engaged by the end of a strand of wire. The extremities ofthe metal strip 10 are apertured and are bent inwardly to overlap oneanother, causing the apertures to register, through which is passed arod 12 which extends centrally to the upper end of the strip 10. Acollar or flange 13 is rigidly secured upon the inner extremity of therod 12 against which is impinged one extremity of a coil spring 14 whichis disposed above the rod 12. The opposite end of the spring 14 is heldagainst a collar 15 which is loosely mounted upon the rod 12 and whichabuts against the inner overlapping end of the metal strip 10. The rod12 is adapted to be connected to a post or other suitable supportingmeans for the end of a fence.

When any strain is placed upon a Wire strand the spring 14 is caused tobe compressed and the rod 12 is allowed to slide outwardly through theoverlapping edges for the purpose of lengthening the strand and preventthe same from snapping.

In applying this device it can be mounted intermediately of the edges ofthe post thereby causing the strain of the wire to be at the center ofthe post instead of at the edge thereof, thus avoiding the disadvantageof having the post twist or turn in time causing a slack in the entirefence.

A device of this structure is especially adapted for this applicationand it is found that it is a very important feature of the same.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising'a strip of metal bentU shaped having apertures formed in its intermediate portion and in itsextremities, the ends of said strip being bent inwardly and overlapped,a swivel eye mounted in the intermediate portion of said strip, a rodslidably positioned through said overlapped ends, a flange on the innerextremity of said rod, a collar loosely mounted on the rod, and a springdisposed upon said rod between said flange and said collar.

2. As an article of manufacture a metal strip bent U shaped, having itsends bent inwardly and overlapped, a swivel eye mounted at theintermediate portion of said strip, and a spring actuated rod slidablymounted in the ends of said strip.

3. As an article of manufacture a metal strip bent U shaped and havingapertures formed intermediately and at the ends swivel eye mountedintermediate of said strip thereof, said ends being bent inwardly andextending outwardly. 10 overlapped, a rod slidably mounted in said Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature,

ends, a flange disposed upon the inner end of in presence of twowitnesses.

said rod, a collar loosely carried upon said DAVID L. MULLINIX. rod, aspring disposed about said rod between Witnesses:

said flange and said collar to hold said rod JOHN S. SANDY,

yieldably against outward movement and a THOS. T. MOORE.

